Picture Perfect

Have you read the summer issue of ADDitude magazine yet? I received my copy in the mail a couple of days ago. Natalie is in it! Take a peek at her messy room on page 26. And look at that face! Yes, “easy to love, but hard to raise” sums her up pretty darn well.

Natalie’s good friend, the infamous Harry, made this issue as well, on page 21. As you’ll read in editor Wayne Kalyn’s letter to readers, the magazine is working to “foster a tighter sense of community by giving voice to [readers’] comments, opinions, and expertise.” I like these personal touches--peeks into the lives of real people (many of us--not just Nat and Harry!) I hope you do, too. I’m sure that, as always, Wayne and his staff would love to hear your feedback about this issue. [E-mail letters@additudemag.com with your comments.]

Quinn Bradlee’s new website got a mention in the Hyperfocus section on page 12. Makes me feel like I’m up on things! Although, clearly I’m not--as my week-long failure to blog proves. Anyway, here’s a final thought I had after reading Quinn’s book, A Different Life.

Quinn writes about his first sexual experience, which took place with a prostitute during a family vacation to St. Martins. He describes telling his parents about it the next morning, and how his parents, his mother in particular, reacted. This chapter of the book is the best example I’ve ever come across of a first-person perspective that demonstrates how kids (young adults, in this case) with differing abilities have social skills that differ. Quinn’s problems with reading social cues, his response to peer pressure, his desire to be liked (and to have sex!), and a lack of filtering his words (he told his mother!)--it’s all there in this one strangely innocent, distressing incident.

The retelling itself demonstrates how, even some time later, Quinn hasn’t really assimilated the complicated situation and everyone’s varied reaction to it. I don’t mean to be disrespectful of Quinn, and I admire his honesty in sharing his experiences, but this was just so “wrong” (I don’t mean morally) on so many levels! I found it quite painful to read, and I certainly felt for Quinn’s mother. I can’t imagine what she went through!

All I can say is, I’m glad Natalie’s only 8, and the toughest impulse we’re dealing with is kids on the bus and at school asking her for gum, and her desire to give them some so that they’ll like her. May she stay this age forever!